The present invention relates to a connector for fiber optic cables or electrical cables and, more particularly, to a mechanism for coupling and uncoupling a plurality of connector blocks which constitute the connector.
Connectors are installed in various communications systems to interconnect fiber optic cables or electrical cables along which various signals propagate. A connector of the type described usually comprises first connector blocks serving as plug portions and a second connector blocks serving as a jack or adapter portion. It is a primary requisite that the first and second connector blocks be coupled in such a manner as to insure reliable connection between the cables, or signal transmission paths, both electrically and mechanically. Meanwhile, the interconnected first and second connector blocks have to be readily uncoupled from each other without recoursing to any special tool, whenever a need arises to modify the signal transmission paths or to inspect or maintain them.
Connectors of the above-described type heretofore proposed for fiber optic cables include one which will be described later with reference to FIG. 1 of the drawing. An example of connectors designed for use with electrical cables is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,406 (Cameron et al). All these prior art connectors include flexible arms engageable with lugs which are formed on the other connector blocks, and operating arms which extend in the opposite direction to the respective flexible arms with respect to fulcrum portions. To uncouple coupled connector blocks, the operating arms are manually depressed to move the flexible arms apart in interlocked relation therewith. A problem heretofore encountered with such a connector is that substantial loads tend to act on the fulcrum portions to damage them, while a relatively great and continuous effort has to be applied from outside to uncouple the connector blocks. Further, the connector described above is quite susceptive to externally derived destructive forces such as a catching force.